Quarantine tank size, 15 litre uk too small?

[Nataleeia]

Hi there, as Im letting my tank be fallow after the dreaded velvet issue just over two weeks ago im looking at getting the quarantine tank set up, just came across a small set up but it is only 15 litres uk, would this be too small, will be for 2 small clownfish as a starter and ongoing for only very small fish as I only have a 115 litre dt. Any advise welcome as only have limited space. Thank you.

 

[benbalter]

Hi there, as Im letting my tank be fallow after the dreaded velvet issue just over two weeks ago im looking at getting the quarantine tank set up, just came across a small set up but it is only 15 litres uk, would this be too small, will be for 2 small clownfish as a starter and ongoing for only very small fish as I only have a 115 litre dt. Any advise welcome as only have limited space. Thank you.

That's is a bit small but it is a starter tank for adding mods and waiting things out. I run a 20 gallon (75 litters) and only fill it when I bring in new fish. Hope that helps

 

[Nataleeia]

That's is a bit small but it is a starter tank for adding mods and waiting things out. I run a 20 gallon (75 litters) and only fill it when I bring in new fish. Hope that helps

ok thank you maybe ill see if I can find a slightly bigger one. Do you use the cheap sponge filter method and plastic pipes etc? Would a 22 litre work do you think?

 

[Soren]

ok thank you maybe ill see if I can find a slightly bigger one. Do you use the cheap sponge filter method and plastic pipes etc? Would a 22 litre work do you think?

Sponge filters pre-started with bacteria from an existing system and plastic pipes work well for quarantine systems.
I would not recommend anything smaller than a 38 litre (10 gallon) tank for QT due to the complicated water chemistry in nano systems.

I tried some 21 litre (5.5 gallon) QT's with small established sponge filters and hang-on-back (HOB) filters sized for 38 litre (10 gallon) systems and had high losses. I have had very good success with a 38 litre (10 gallon) QT, as well as larger QT systems.

I keep my 38 litre (10 gallon) QT running on my desk at work all the time with ghost feedings to the tank when no fish are being quarantined in this tank. This tank does have a sand bed (so not a hospital tank for medicating fish, just observational QT for shipment deliveries) since I QT'd a wrasse in it a while ago and since this helps with long-term stability in an unoccupied system. I have sent several batches of fish through this QT for a few weeks, but have not tested the system over longer quarantine periods since I also have a 75 litre (20 gallon) QT, two 151 litre (40 gallon) QT's, and two 284 litre (75 gallon) QT's in my basement fish room at home for longer quarantines.

 

[benbalter]

ok thank you maybe ill see if I can find a slightly bigger one. Do you use the cheap sponge filter method and plastic pipes etc? Would a 22 litre work do you think?

I use a cheap sponge filter with an air stone. Then drain the water I need for the tank from my 240 gallon tank. I only leave it up about two weeks. I would look for a 37 litter tank it's big enough not to stress out the fish. You uses any thing you want of a sick tank I have heard of people using 5 littler containers ever

 

[reef_1]

I had an uncycled 25 litre tank as a hospital tank, which I run with 20 litre water for almost 40 days with water changes every 4 day, had no issues at all.

Due to available space and knowing that I am only ever gonna get small nano fish and baby clowns less than 2", max 2 in every batch and only for 2 weeks in that tank, I actually downgraded it to an 18L.

Here in the uk space is at premium, every little counts.

 

[Nataleeia]

Thank you. I’ll see what I can find for the space I have available.